After many years as a co-convenor of the Cochrane Bias Methods Group, David Moher decided to step down from the leadership in 2017. The Bias Methods Group and wider methods community wish to thank David for his hard work and valuable contribution to methods research.

The Cochrane Methods Symposium provided an ideal opportunity to celebrate his contribution to methods research and to pause and reflect on the status of methods research today. We intended to recognise David’s very considerable impact on research synthesis methodology while also looking forward to provide an overview of selected hot topics within methods research relevant for the broader Cochrane community.